1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of encrypting and encoding information onto objects, and more particularly relates to the encryption of, material handling of, and authenticating information onto objects in matrix array form having such a large number of code sequence possibilities as to preclude unauthorized deciphering.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been known to encrypt or encode information onto objects and printing surfaces in black, white and shaded areas, known commonly as bar codes. In such arrangements and systems, vertical lines of varying relative or precisely determined widths are encoded onto the object having spaces between the vertical lines. An optical scanner passes perpendicularly over the row of encoded vertical lines comprising the bar code, sets up a reference starting line in the case where the lines are of relative widths, measures the remaining bars and spaces in relation to the starting reference, converts the scanned information into, usually, a binary form in which form the information is processed by conventional processing systems performing algorithms to arrive at some usable information.
Such bar codes are used for product identification, product authentication and verification, process control for assisting in, for example, materials handling and for encoding certain information relating to the object, such as a product that can be used by, for example, a check-out clerk when the information is properly retrieved.
Conventional bar codes represent a significant improvement in storing information directly onto objects. Such codes, however, are inherently limited by physical spacing on the object itself, and are further limited to a certain extent by the requirement for spacing between the vertical lines or bars in the bar code row. There must be sufficient spacing between the bars so that the scanner can properly distinguish between the succeeding bars, and their relative widths when scanning at a fast pace. Moreover, the row of bars and spaces comprises itself a physical limitation in that the object encoded has finite dimensions.
When used as a code for authenticating and verifying an object, the space limitations inherent in the bar code concept ultimately limit the number of choices of a unique identifier or for encoded data to be placed on the object.
While improvements in the bar printing techniques and improvements in the scanning circuits and optical equipment will undoubtedly result in putting more information in less and progressively less space, the physical limitations inherent in the linear row coding concept will inevitably limit the amount of information capable of being stored in such a code arrangement.
A variation on the bar code concept or scheme may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,068 to Mohan, et al., where the bars are arranged having a common connecting point. The bars and spaces appear, therefore, to be emanating as radial spokes from a center. Such a code arrangement apparently does not require a set or particular orientation for the commencement of the optical scan. Such an arrangement must have the same bar and space widths required by more conventional bar codes in order for the scanning devices to properly distinguish between the bars and spaces and the relative varying widths of each within the bar code scheme.
Further variations of the bar code concept or scheme can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,741 to Henderson and U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,318 to Goldman. In Henderson, a system for optical recognition of a color code is described. In Goldman, a unique physical phenomenon, such as the translucency of a material object is measured and used for later authentication.
Bar code encrypting devices generally make some use of, among other things, shift registers for implementing the algorithms for encoding and for processing the scanned information picked off the bar code. Reference is made herein to Golomb, S. W., "Shift Register Sequences," Aegean Park Press (1982), which describes several methods for using such technology to advantage.
It is currently sought, however, to provide a coded encryption apparatus and method that expands significantly the amount of information capable of being stored in a relatively small space available on objects, such as vendable products and their packaging. Further, it is sought to provide apparatuses and methods for greatly enhancing the available choices for a verification and authenticating code for encryption in small areas on objects.